Calculating machine



Oct. 22, 1940.

l. G. A. LJUNGGREN ET AL 2,218,991 CALCULATING MACHINE, CASH REGISTER, AND THE LIKE Filed March 12, 1938 5 Sheeis-Sheet l Knu+ Fol K3 B"++ INVE NTOR S 2 1940- 1. G. A. LJUNGGREN ET AL 2,213,991

CALCULATING MACHINE, CASH REGISTER, AND THE LIKE Filed March 12; 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2,

)NVENT'OES 1940- v 1. G. A. LJUNGGREN ET AL 2,218,991

CALCULATING MACHINE, CQSH REGISTER, AND THE LIKE Filed March 12, 19:8 5 Sheets-Sheet s Ivar Georg Andf Ljunsc ren ++s 1 Kafl 'a s s 5 o\ke. BYQ++ INVENTOQS Oct. 22, 1940. 1. G. A. LJUNGGREN El AL 2,213,991

CALCULATING MACHINE, CASH REGISTER, AND THE LIKE Filed March 12, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Pmdr Lion rm Karl bog TOES Oct. 22, 1940- 1. G. A. LJUNGGREN ET AL 2,218,991

CALCULATING MACHINE, CASH REGISTER, AND THE LIKE Filed March 12, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 \var G g V L- un en d 33 Karl MaH's V\ org arc-H N v E NT0 1 Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CALCULATING MACHINE, CASH REGISTER, AND THE LIKE den,

assignors to Kooperativa Forbundet,

Fiirening u. p. a., Stockholm, Sweden Application March 12, 1938, Serial No. 195,494 In Sweden March 18, 1937 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for calculating machines, cash registers, and the like, and the device is adapted particularly for shifting coupling wheels or other coupling members. As a matter of fact, it is of a particular importance in, for example, cash registers provided with several totalizers, that the positions of the part shifting the coupling members are carefully fixed, because a reliable operation would otherwise be jeopardized. The heretofore known devices, adapted for the abovementioned purpose and generally called selectors, have, in fact, been of complicated constructions, but in spite thereof they have not, however, operated quite satisfactorily. By the present invention the problem has, however, been solved in a manner, which, as regards construction, is very simple, but yet absolutely reliable, and which provides the apparatus with a positive and reliable operation. Several advantages, obtained by the device according to the invention, will be set forth in connection with descriptions given of two embodiments illustrated on the accompanying drawings and particularly apt for use in cash registers provided with two totalizers.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 1-6.

Figure 1 showing the device in side view,

Figure 2 the same when viewed on the section line 11-11, of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a section on the line IIIII I, of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows some details, assuming positions, which are indicated by dot-dash lines in Figure 1,

Figures 5 and 6 show some further details.

The other embodiment is illustrated in Figures 7-17.

Figures 7 and 8 showing the device in side view, the parts being in different positions.

Figures 9-1? show some details.

Figure 13 showing a section on the line XIII-XIII, of Figure 14.

Both embodiments of the device have the feature in common that with two plates, shaped and provided in a certain manner, there is adapted to cooperate a pin united with the part intended for the shifting. Either, as in the embodiment according to Figures 1-6, the said plates may be provided on a key bank or, as the embodiment according to Figures 7-17, on a plate member, or the like, rigidly united with the frame of the machine. In order that the first-mentioned way of mounting shall be clearly visible on the draw ings it is necessary to draw the parts included in the device on such a large scale that all parts of the machine cannot be shown in Figures 1-6. Yet, when describing the embodiment according to Figures 1-6, a .clear idea of the mode of operation of the device will be obtained by reference being hereinafter had also to the parts of the machine shown in Figures 7 and 8.

In the embodiment according to Figures 1-6, the two abovementioned plates, which in the said figures are indicated by A, and B, are movable towards and away from each other by means of pins 2, which engage guide slots i and which are displaceably united with quite an ordinary key bank 4 provided with a ratch 3 for retaining keys when depressed. The guide slots l are given a length corresponding as exactly as possible to the maximum displacement of the plates A, B, and by the action of tension springs 5 the said plates tend to assume their neutral positions shown in full lines on the drawings. As is best seen from Figure 5, in which the plate A is shown separately, each of the plates A, B, is provided, on one hand, with two cam or guide surfaces 6, 7, formed from one end portion of the respective plate and forming an angle to each other, and, on the other hand, with two cam surfaces 8. Of the eight keys provided in the key bank 4 the keys of the set indicated by IEJA are intended to be actuated by one salesman and the keys of the set indicated by IOB intended to be actuated by another salesman. Two keys of each group are provided with pins ll, adapted to .cooperate with the guide surfaces 8. The two remaining keys of each set have no such pins and when the said keys are depressed the plates A, B, are not actuated in any way. Yet, by depressing the said keys certain data may be entered into the apparatus and by means of special members, which, however, have no particularly intimate connection with the present invention, markings, corresponding to the said data, may be obtained, for example, in the printing mechanism of the apparatus.

l2 indicates a member, which is put into a reciprocating motion, when the cam members 47, shown in Figures 7, 8, and 16, are turned. In the embodiment according to Figures l-6 the member 12 is provided with an oblong slot M. In the said slot slides a pin I3, which is rigidly united with a link member 49, the other end of which has jointed connection with one end of an arm 48, which is adapted to rock on a stationary shaft 3|, one end of the bar 50, shown in Figures 7, 8, and 17, having in its turn jointed connection with the other end of the said arm 48. The other end of the said bar is united with one of two arms l3, which are adapted to rock on a stationary shaft and which between themselves support a shaft (it, on which coupling wheels i are rotatably mounted. The coupling wheels 5i, which mesh with transmission wheels 55, mounted on the shaft 68, may, when the arms 18 are rocked, be brought into mesh either with the totalizer wheels 52C, rotatably mounted on the shaft 62, or with the totalizer wheels 52D, rotatably mounted on the shaft $33. In such a case the totalizer actuating racks 5 3 of the apparatus, which racks are supported by amount setting members 26 and with which the wheels 55 are in mesh, and the totalizer wheels of one totalizer or the other. The condition for obtaining such coupling together, as above referred to, is however, that the rocking movement, which the arms id have to perform for this purpose, is exactly as great as required. From the description of the mode of operation of the device, given in the following, it will be seen that this really is the case. i

If one of the keys in Figure 1, which have no pins ii, is depressed, the pin 53, which, in its initial position, is located in the partcorresponding to the diameter of the pin-of the opening 2! in a plate member 2E3, secured to the key bank 6, which plate member is shown separately in Figure 6, during the displacement of the member l2, which displacement is directed towards the plates A, B, will enter between the cam surfaces 5 of the said plates, which surfaces jointly form a rectilinear slot for the pin. The initial position and the terminal position of the pin lying at an equal distance-each on its side-from a central line, drawn through the link member &9 and the joint 64 of the arm 38 perpendicularly to the direction of motion, the arm it, in the terminal positions, will be equally positioned and the arms it thus remain in their positions shown in Figure 7, and no coupling together of setting members and totalizer wheels takes place. If, however, one of the keys, having a pin ii, is depressed, either of the plates A, B, is displaced, on account of the cooperation of the said pin with one of the cam surfaces 8, to operative position and, on the drawings, the plate B is indicated by dot-dash lines, in Figure 1, and shown in full lines, in Figure ti, when assuming operativeposition. The depressed key being retained in its depressed position by the ratch 3, the respective plate will, of course, also remain in its operative position in spite of the action of the spring 5. In such a case a pin it, which is secured to the plate A and located at some distance from the cam surface 8 of the plate in question, cooperates with the cam surface 6 of the plate 13. Thus, the pin 59 will provide for a fixing of the positions of the plates in relation to one another, in case the grooves i should not be exactly adjusted, The length of the displacement of the plates preferably is so adjusted that the point, formed by the cam surfaces ii, i, will be located far enough beside the centre of the pin I3 when one of the plates assumes operative position; this in order to assist a good cooperation between the pin l3 and the cam surfaces 7.

When the plate B assumes its operative position, indicated by dot-dash lines in Figure 1, and the pin it is moved towards the said plate the guide surface I of the latter will cooperate with the pin 13, which thus is caused, as shown in full lines in Figure 4, to deviate from its rectilinear movement. It should be observed that, when such cooperation has been obtained, it is impossible to depress any further key. When the pin i3 cooperates with the guide surface 1 a rocking motion, because of the length of the groove l4 and the length and inclination of the guide surface 7, will be imparted to the arms l8, via the bar 58, the arm 58, and the link member 49, and during the rocking motion performed by the arms H8 in such a case a coupling together of the setting members and totalizer wheels of the apparatus is effected by moving the coupling wheels 5i. In order to further guarantee the positive operation of the device the opening 2| of the plate member 26 secured to the key bank 4, into which opening the pin it extends, is so shaped that the edge thereof, together with one of the guide surfaces 1 of the plates A, B, adjusted in operative position, forms a groove for the pin it. Thus, the latter is prevented from performing any such movement as could result in an indefinite fixing of the turning motion of the shaft it and therewith unreliable operation.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-6 the plates A, B, are, as above described, movable towards each other. In the embodiment according to Figures 7-17 the said plates, which are movable away from and towards each other, are replaced by swingable plates, which on the drawings are indicated by C, D. By means of a pin serving as a pivot, the last-mentioned plates are provided on a plate member 23 provided in the machine (see Figures 7, 8, 13, and 14). In a manner corresponding to that in the embodiment according to Figures l-6, tension springs 5 tend to retain the plates C, D, in their neutral positions shown in Figures 7 and 13. In order to obtain greater clearness, Figures 7 and 8 show only one of the keys of the group WB, in Figure 1. In the said embodiment of the device the plates C, D are not intended to be shifted by means of the keys, (the transaction or account keys), due to which the latter and the key bank, respectively, need not be constructed in a special manner differing from that of the amount key banks. In order to obtain a shifting of the plates C, D, the rocking movements of which are limited by projections 2& on the plates being adapted to cooperate with shoulders or pins 25 on the plate member 23, the following provision is made:

On a transaction setting member 26 there, is rockably mounted a member 27, which is best visible in Figures 11, 12, and which memberis provided with an angular portion 28. By means of a tension spring 29, and a pin 30, the member 27, during the up-and-down motion of the member 25, is held in its position shown in Figure 7 relatively to the setting member. Further, there is a plate 32 (best shown in Figures 9 and 10), which is rockably mounted on the stationary shaft 35 and which is provided with a slot 33. The plate 32, which, in addition to the slot 33, is provided with bent portions 34C, 34D, tends, by the action of a tension spring 35, to assume the position shown in Figures 7 and 11, in which case the portion MC rests against a stationary guide member 36, which serves as a lateral guide for the plate.

In Figure 7 all parts assume their neutral or normal positions. Now, however, for example, the

key, shown on the drawings and indicated at MB, is depressed and the machine is started. Cam

discs 39, secured on the main shaft 38 of themachine then begin to rotate, the arms 46 being swung upwards and finally assume their upper.

terminal position shown in Figure 8. Thetransaction setting member 26, which, in a manner corresponding to that of the amount setting members, by the action of a spring 44 on the arms 45 also is moved upwards, will, however, stop when the rack tooth 31, which corresponds to the depressed key, strikes against the free end of the said key. Thus, in the present case the transaction setting member stops in the position shown in Figure 8.

A transverse shaft 42, which is united with the arms 48 by :means of link members 40 and which is guided in slots 4! in the setting rack, has received an upwards directed movement when the said arms were swung upwards. In such a case the shaft 42 has entered the recess 33 provided in the plate 32 and, because of the shape of the said slot, it has imparted to the plate 32 a swinging movement directed towards the plates C, D. The portion 34D of the plate 32, when the same has hit the portion 28 of the member 2'! and the latter has, in turn, hit a bent portion 43 shaped from the plate D, has swung the plate D against the action of the spring 5 to its position shown in Figures 8 and 15.

Thus, the plate D assumes this position when the member l2, during the rotation of the cam discs 4'! secured on the shaft 38, pulls the pin I3, uniting the member i2 and the link member 49, towards the plates C, D. In such a case the pin 43, by the groove, formed by the cam surface I of the plate D, and the slot 21, is caused to assume the position shown in Figure 8, and by the pin deviating from its rectilinear path of movement the arm 48, which is mounted on the shaft 31 and which, in fact, by means of the link member or the bar 49, is united with the pin 13, is given a rocking motion. This motion is transmitted by the bar 50 to the arms l8 supporting the coupling wheels 5|. The coupling wheels, therefore, enter into mesh with the totalizer wheels indicated by 52D. Thus, the said totalizer wheels, from the totalizer actuating racks 54 of the amount setting racks 56, via the transmission Wheels 55, will take the amount entered on the amount keys by the salesman in question, when the arms 45 united with the setting racks 55, during the downwards directed swinging motion of the arms 46, are taken along by the transverse member 53 provided between the arms 46. Yet, during this operation the pin i3 is retained in its position shown in Figure 8, in spite of the fact that the member 21 accompanies the transaction setting member 26 to the initial position. Not until after all members 56 and 25, respectively, have reached the last mentioned position does the member l2 displace the pin 13 to its initialposition and by this the machine has accomplished one working stroke.

In order that the one of the plates C, D, which has been the last one to assume operative position, shall be positively returned to inoperative position when the opposite plate is rocked from inoperative to operative position each plate C, D is provided with a projection 51, which, in the shown embodiment, serves also as a member of attachment for the spring 5. The said projection is so provided that, when a plate is rocked from inoperative to operative position, the opposite plate is taken along and shifted from operative to inoperative position by the projection 51 in question striking against the edge of the opposite plate.

If such a transaction or account key has been depressed that the member 21 stops in such position that its portion 28 is given no possibility of cooperating with one of the two shoulders 34C, or 34D, of the plate 32, the plates C, D remain in their positions shown in Figure '7. In such a case the pin l3 will pass between the cam or guide surfaces 6 of the last mentioned plates, the said surfaces being turned against each other. In such a case no shifting of the coupling wheels 5i is effected but the machine completes its Working stroke without the coupling wheels moving from their inoperative position shown in Figure 7. Consequently, in such a case neither do the totalizer wheels 52D nor the wheels 52C take any value.

As is clear from the foregoing the machine, by the device hereinbefore described and shown in Figures 7-1? is given a very positive operation. Moreover, the parts included in the device are of very simple constructions. Further, no special driving members are required for obtaining a shifting of the plates C, D, members already included in the machine being used for such purpose. That the key banks may be embodied in the usual manner has already been pointed out. Finally, the device makes it impossible to obtain a simultaneous shifting of the plates 0, D, and thereby breaking of the pin I3 is prevented.

The amount setting members operating quite independently of the transaction setting members the operations of the first-mentioned members and of the tens transmitting device, which is intended to be used in the present case, are not particularly described in the present specification, the said tens transmitting device being made the object of a separate application (Swedish patent application No. 1958/1937 Several embodiments may, of course, be devised within the scope of the invention. Thus, the shape of the plates C, D, may vary and, if it should prove suitable, each of them may be provided on its special pivot.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to ent is:

1. In a calculating machine or similar apparatus having a rotatable main shaft, a first group of keys, a second group of keys and a coupling wheel or similar member to be shifted from a neutral position to either one of two operative positions, the combination with a lever pivoted on a fixed fulcrum to control said shiftable member, of a guide pin, a link pivotally connecting said guide pin to said lever, means to reciprocate said guide pin upon each rotation of said main shaft, a first cam and a second cam movable towards and away from one another, said cams having guide surfaces facing one another and oppositely inclined cam surfaces, means to normally hold said cams in a spaced relationship in which said guide surfaces form between them a guide path for said pin to allow reciprocation thereof substantially without displacement of the lever, whereby said shiftable member is retained in its neutral position when no key in either of said two groups has been depressed, means to displace said first cam towards said second cam upon depression of a key of said first group so as to close said path and to cause a cooperation between the reciprocating pin and the cam surface of said first cam whereby the movement of the pin is deviated in one direction and said shiftable member, through said link and lever, is shifted to its first operative position, and means to displace said second cam towards said first cam upon depression of a key of said second group to secure by Letters Patcause a cooperation between the reciprocating pin and the cam surface of said second cam, whereby the movement of said pin is deviated in the opposite direction and the shiftablemember is shifted to its second operative position.

2. A machine, as claimed in claim 1, comprising a stationary guide plate provided with an aperture through which said pin extends, said aperture having two guide surfaces adapted to cooperate with the cam surfaces of said cams in such a manner that one guide surface forms an inclined guide slot for said pin with the cam surface of said first cam when the same has been displaced towards the second cam, and the other guide surface forms an oppositely inclined guide slot for said pin with the cam surface of the IVAR GEORG ANDRE LJUNGGREN. KARL MATTS VIGBORG. KNUT FOLKE BRATT. 

